Author Topic: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour  (Read 17472 times)

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« on: August 20, 2015, 09:18:38 PM »
And the next build begins. This is the 1/35 Buffalo with Slat or Bar armour, the 2nd of 3 versions of this vehicle by Bronco.



From WikipediaThe Buffalo vehicle was designed based on the successful South African Casspir mine-protected vehicle.[2] While the Casspir is a four wheeled vehicle, the Buffalo has six wheels. Buffalo is also fitted with a large articulated arm, used for ordnance disposal. Both vehicles incorporate a "V" shaped monohull chassis that directs the force of the blast away from the occupants.[3]
Buffalo is also now equipped with BAE Systems' LROD cage armor for additional protection against RPG-7 anti-tank rounds.[4] Glass armor is sufficient at 6 inches thickness. Run-flat tires are present in all tires. The Buffalo combines ballistic and blast protection with infrared technology to detect the presence of dangerous ordnance and a robotic arm to disable the explosive ordnance. Personnel operate the Buffalos 30-foot robotic arm and claw from within the armoured hull via a mounted camera and sensory equipment, to safely dispose of mines and IEDs.




Inside the box are 13 tan sprues, 4 clear sprues, a large PE fret, 8 wheels, 2 halves of the hull and decals and twine for cables etc.



It's also a very big vehicle. A lot longer than the RG-31 and that's not counting the arm!



Started on the suspension. This will be a very slow build as there are a lot of tiny parts and while fit is good I think they have over-complicated the construction. The parts are all nicely molded with no flash and minimal seam lines but there are hundreds of parts....even just cleaning off the sprue joins is going to be a slow, delicate and laborious process.

So if you're interested in following this build be prepared for the long haul!

EDIT:  Fixed those images for you
« Last Edit: August 21, 2015, 05:05:20 AM by GTX_Admin »

Offline Kerick

  • Reportedly finished with a stripper...
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2015, 12:03:39 AM »
Thanks for the pics! I've wanted to see the underside of one of these vehicles for a long time. Will prove useful for the design of the UCV.

Offline LemonJello

  • MARPAT Master
  • Member number 100...WooHoo!!!
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2015, 08:16:22 PM »
You, sir, are an MRAP-building machine!  I really need to get the MATV and Cougar (4 and 6 wheeled versions) for the collection.

I will be watching this build with interest.

Offline Steve Blazo

  • The man likes white plastic...weird.
    • flickr
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2015, 08:58:58 PM »
I will be watching with interest, have wanted to see a review of one of these since it came out.  :D :D
As I walk through the valley of death,
I have no fear, because I am the meanest mother*ucker in the whole valley.
- Gen. George S. Patton

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2015, 02:25:40 AM »
Modern wheels is what turns me on Lemon. The Panda M-ATV is on order. Got tired waiting for Kinetic to release a corrected version. I know the Panda is not perfect but the M-ATV is the sexiest modern vehicle around.

ill do a more detailed reviev Steve when i get a bit further into it.

and if you want more pics of this or the v-shaoed hull on the RG-31 just let me know Kerrick

Offline Kerick

  • Reportedly finished with a stripper...
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2015, 12:23:14 AM »
That would be very nice of you! There was a Maxx Pro at the Chicago auto show a few years ago and when I tried to take a pic of the underside of the vehicle i got yelled at by a security guard. Now there are model kits of them. Oh well.....
BTW, those pics are on Prime Portal if you think they might help.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2015, 07:11:27 AM »
I've done the Maxx-Pro by Kinetic....great kit! I'll photograph the underside tomorrow....

Well it's taken a good few evenings just to get the suspension done. It's not perfect but some heavy weathering will hide all the flaws. The front suspension is very complex but should leave the wheels steerable. I fixed it in a turned position...it was easier than trying to leave movable parts moving. The rear suspension was even more complex but managed to get it tilting up & down. I'm not adding break lines as I have seen in some builds.







Tomorrow I start on the interior....


Offline Steve Blazo

  • The man likes white plastic...weird.
    • flickr
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2015, 10:26:11 AM »
Keep up the good work and updates.   :)
As I walk through the valley of death,
I have no fear, because I am the meanest mother*ucker in the whole valley.
- Gen. George S. Patton

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2015, 05:53:01 AM »
Just to show the quality of the moulding: seat belts and the cable inside the headlight housing.



Really enjoying this...it's not for the faint hearted but with care even the tiny bits can be managed.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2015, 09:03:08 PM »

All ready to close her up and then I can start on the outside. No real issues with the interior. Went together very well, just added cooler box from the spares box. The M4s, water bottles and GPS all came with the kit.














Offline LemonJello

  • MARPAT Master
  • Member number 100...WooHoo!!!
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2015, 08:46:25 PM »
Nice! Really like all the little details.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2015, 09:46:08 PM »
Thanks Lemon, with all the windows it needs to be a reasonably detailed interior.

Offline Volkodav

  • Counts rivits with his abacus...
  • Much older now...but procrastinating about it
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #12 on: September 01, 2015, 09:27:50 PM »
Loving the level of detail here, can't wait to see it come together.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #13 on: September 02, 2015, 01:35:00 AM »
Thanks Volkodav.

Top on and dry fitted the wheels to make sure she's sitting level.





Then two days of effort on the bits on the outside:








Still lots to do....and will need a new bottle of Tamia Extra Thin soon!


Offline GTX_Admin

  • Evil Administrator bent on taking over the Universe!
  • Administrator - Yep, I'm the one to blame for this place.
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    • Beyond the Sprues
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #14 on: September 02, 2015, 04:14:31 AM »
Watching this intently - I plan to do one as a UAV controller.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #15 on: September 02, 2015, 09:58:36 PM »
That will be an interesting version. The RWS control station could be used as the UAV control. Lots of aerials and such in the kit not all of which are used. As well as the 2 Dukes and about 4 "wire" aerials I recognise a CREW (like a helmet), a Rhino and a Singars on the sprues

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #16 on: September 03, 2015, 12:09:43 AM »
I'm pretty impressed. Everything that can move does move. It won't after painting but at least this will allow me to place it on the vehicle and decide what way I want it posed





Probably in the stowed position just to avoid breaking it off....need to do some clean-up and filling (not a lot) and try adding the hydraulic lines. 

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2015, 06:25:52 AM »
After a bit of a hiatus finally got around to adding the hydrolic cables. Looks very messy so far but I'm happy with getting it on. 5 hydrolic rams needing 10 cables. Just need to straighten them up and attach to each end of the sleeves.







I used 0.3mm plastic coated wire. I know I'm being lazy but not trying to add any joins to the wire. In the real thing they are not all a single length of pipe....

Offline Buzzbomb

  • Low Concentration Span, oft wanders betwixt projects
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Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2015, 08:10:16 AM »
This is great stuff.

Normally with Bronco you get ".. and after 4000 parts, I have completed the suspension" but that looked quite sensible.
really liking the work with the arm.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2015, 09:20:32 PM »
Thanks Buzz, it is very detailed and there are a lot of tiny fragile parts but it's actually going together very well.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #20 on: September 20, 2015, 09:21:07 PM »
Hydraulic lines added. Not the neatest job I've seen but I guess they do become a bit messy after a few IEDs have gone off in close proximity. I'm blaming thick fingers and poor eyesight :)





Now to base coat with a rattle can and then start the detail painting

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #21 on: September 21, 2015, 06:22:14 AM »
Getting there....



Electrical cables for camera and spot-light next then weathering

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #22 on: October 03, 2015, 09:09:31 PM »
Now that the IPMS Ireland nationals are over I've managed to get back to this beauty. Will be starting the detailing this evening.

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #23 on: October 08, 2015, 10:55:25 PM »
Hydraulic lines added. Not the neatest job I've seen but I guess they do become a bit messy after a few IEDs have gone off in close proximity. I'm blaming thick fingers and poor eyesight :)




Yes, obviously extremely shoddy work .....................................................



That comment is just sitting there looking stupid. ::)


If that's poor workmanship, can I have some of it, please? ???
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Bronco Buffalo with Bar armour
« Reply #24 on: October 09, 2015, 05:53:11 AM »
Aw, thanks Wombat. But when you look at what was done in this thread you'll understand what I mean

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=188403&ord=&page=6

Anyway, it'll do for me as it is.